Pune: Daund-Based Start-Up Ultima Agrogenics Begins Jaggery Powder Export To USA
Pune, 1 March 2021: In what could be called the perfect startup, Daund taluka’s Mouje Padvi village youth Akshay Gaikwad exported his first consignment of jaggery powder to the United States of America (USA). An engineer by profession, Akshay, through his startup, is producing chemical-free jaggery powder.
Explaining the process, Akshay said, “The manufacturing unit buys the sugarcane from farmers and processes the jaggery powder in the processing unit and check its laboratory to make flavoured jaggery powder. Not only jaggery, but we also produce various products of jaggery. While producing the jaggery, we pay special attention toward its nutritional value and quality”.
The first container of flavoured jaggery (4MT) powder was dispatched from Turbhe, Navi Mumbai, after fulfilling all criteria and ratings required for export quality produce. Agriculture and Processed Food Product Export Development Authority (APEDA) Dr Sundhanshu showed the green flag to the container.
The container was exported by M/s Januz Universal, Mumbai who is an APEDA’s registered merchant exporter. The programme was attended by R Ravindra, DGM, APEDA, Prashant Waghmare, AGM, APEDA Mumbai, Dharmil D Thacker, M/s Januz Universal, Akshay Gaikwad, M/s. Ultima Agrogenics, Paresh Gala, Sonal Loharikar of M/s. SDF Productions Pvt. Ltd and other staff. Paresh Gala Bharat Goswami and Dhiraj Gadge were also present on the occasion.
“The product is free flow jaggery powder blended with flavours like Ginger, Eliachi, Masala and plain jaggery which is an innovative product. This flavoured jaggery is branded as ‘Gud Hai’. The ‘Gud Hai’ is a natural healthy sweetener and replacement for refined sugar”, Akshay informed.
Start-up journey began in 2018
Akshay started his startup ‘Ultima Agrogenics’ in 2018 and initiated research on excellent jaggery quality in 2011. Currently, 15 employees are working for the company, and 50 people are involved indirectly in harvesting. He received the funds through the Chief Minister’s food processing scheme for the project.
Akshay said, “Before starting the startup ‘Ultima Agrogenics,’ I attended various workshops regarding the jaggery management that took place in Pune and Mumbai and received guidance from Prashant Waghmare of APEDA also provided insightful information regarding jaggery production and export. I also took direction from the Agriculture Nodal officer assistant director Vijay Kanade for the project”.
Akshay, who hails from a farmer’s family, did his initial schooling from Rokdobanath Vidyalaya Bhandgaon and later shifted to Gopinath Vidyalaya Varvand. He completed his engineering from Shree Chhatrapati college of engineering, Bhor.
Akshay invested himself in 7 years of research on jaggery and never worked anywhere else. He plans to establish a food manufacturing company in Germany in the future.
